Decoration of and placement of ornamental materials on packaging materials often is used to make the package visually appealing to potential purchasers. Such decoration and ornamentation is used to distinguish one product from another and to attract potential purchasers, for example. Attractive packaging is important in attracting purchasers. Packaging decoration also can be used to, for example, illustrate the content of an opaque package.
Ornamentation and decoration can be formed as part of the package material. For example, a pattern or design can be formed as part of the container. Examples of such patterns or designs include random patterns formed by mixing of plural plastics during injection molding or by placing particles into a mold to become part of another material cast therein. Similarly, a pattern formed in a mold will form a design in the surface of the material molded therein.
Packages also can be etched or machined to form ornamentation thereon. For example, an area of matte or pebbled finish, for example, can be introduced onto a molded or cast object by, for example, finishing the mold with the appropriate texture or by etching or sandblasting the resultant object.
Decoration and ornamentation can be easily achieved when the material used to form the decoration and the material of the object to be decorated can be subjected to the same type of material processing conditions to form the ornamented package. For example, plastics that are compatible and that can be formed in a forming process can be combined in a single step to form a decorated package. Similarly, a metal piece or decalcomania can be applied to an object in a separate processing step.
However, it is difficult to combine unlike or otherwise incompatible materials to form a decorated or ornamented package. For example, it may be difficult to prevent a thin or flexible material from wrinkling, deforming, or ripping when applied to a substrate object. Also, when the substrate object also is a package, the package often must maintain or be formed with a desired degree of precision, and the method by which a decoration or ornamentation is attached cannot adversely affect the substrate package.
It may be difficult to orient a design on the package. A desired orientation first must be achieved during placement of the web material, such as in a mold. Then, this correct orientation must be maintained under processing conditions required to form the substrate package.
Application of a fabric web to an injection molded product presents difficulty. Both orientation and deformation issues, amongst others, may be presented when trying to decorate an injection molded product with a fabric web. To manually or automatically load a fabric web insert into a mold typically requires complex mechanisms to ensure that the insert is placed and remains in the correct orientation. For example, complex robotics can be required to automatically place and correctly orient a fabric web insert. Manual placement and orientation are labor intensive and tedious. Further, often only thick or rigid web inserts can withstand injection molding pressures, particularly pressures required to form precision parts. Such inserts often do not provide the decorated product with a texture or a visual presentation found pleasing by purchasers of the package.
Thus, there exists a need for a method for forming an object covered with a web material that provides a desired visual and textural presentation. There also exists a need for a method for forming a substrate object covered with a web of material that cannot withstand the handling technique required to form the substrate object. There also exists a need for a method for covering a precisely-formed substrate object with a web material.
The cosmetic packaging industry has a particular need for attractive packaging. Further, the package parts often must be precisely made to ensure that the content of the container does not leak out or escape from the closed packaging. Typically, such packaging includes compacts and applicators that have handles that also serve to seal the package. One example of such a package is a mascara brush that is self-storing in the mascara container, wherein the handle of the brush also serves as the closure cap for the container. Such pieces often are made by molding plastic, typically by injection molding. These pieces must have a precise fit. Covering parts or all of such objects provides a visually pleasing appearance that also can include a desired tactile experience.
Thus, there exists a particular need for a method for forming a container covered with a web material for cosmetics.